Drain clogs

When a drain clogs up, whether it be in the kitchen or bathroom sink, the bathtub or shower, or the toilet, the fixture ensnared with the clog is out of service until it is fixed. Considering most of us use all of the above throughout each and every day, a small drain clog can cause big problems. Like many of the other aspects of plumbing problems, the fascinating part is that very few people think of them before they happen. Palatine Plumbing is prepared to help with everything from the most simple, to the most unpleasant, most challenging drain clogs.Many homeowners know the drain clog woes all too well, as they’ve probably had to reach down a sink with a hook or their own hand to remove a gunky glob of hair mixed with soap scum at one time or another. It happens, but yuck! Still, that’s an easy one. Things change when clogs are deep within the plumbing of the house, requiring snaking techniques or even pipe disassembly. Whoever is removing the clog needs to be very careful not to disrupt any other parts of the drainage system. Yes, things can get that bad. But how does it happen?Drain problems typically occur by accidents and misjudgment. Certain food items should not go down a kitchen sink, even with a garbage disposal. One of the worst is when individuals pour meat grease down the drain when the proper disposal would be in a tin can or other container. Grease flows like water when it’s hot, but when it cools, turns to a gel-like plasma that likes to stick to pipes. We all know the picture in the doctors’ office of the fatty build-up in the cross-section of an artery. Well this is kind of the same. Generally, people believe that running hot water down the drains will clear this up, but hot water and other solutions won’t always thin down the build-up, and now other particles and debris can be caught more easily. In bathrooms, many of us have had the problem of dropping a precious ring or a toothpaste cap down the sink. Perhaps you’ve managed to rescue your item with a snaking tool, or by disassembling the U-shaped trap. Other times, things just flush away and are gone for good. Drain grates are a good way to prevent these little mishaps.Preventative measures can go a long way, but they’re not always foolproof. With toilets, paper products and feminine hygiene products are among the top offenders. Flushing several times goes a long way, but not everyone knows that. Misjudging what can be flushed down is going to lead to trouble with sewer drains. With kitchen sinks, small pieces of food can be just as much culprits as larger pieces. Pasta, for example, is something cooked quite frequently and that easily travels down into drains when hot water is poured from it. It is a sturdy food that doesn’t break down very easily in pipes, and can lead to further blockage. Sink strainers can prevent this for the most part, but be careful when cleaning the strainers. Make sure the food particles go into the trash and don’t wash them down the drain. Yes, it’s a matter of common sense, but it still happens.Truth be told, we can give you drain clog prevention advice all day long. But clogs can seem to come from left field. That’s why we are here in this business. There are certainly solutions you can try, but be careful not to be a hack. If you don’t know what you are doing, or are in over your head, just admit it. Brush your pride aside and seek help from trained professionals for all of your drain clog needs. For pesky drain clog problems that can’t be handled by homeowners, we have all of the equipment necessary to dislodge clogs such as closet and power augers, drain snakes and cables and more. At Palatine Plumbing, we are ready to roll up our sleeves for you.